After an unbeaten October (although probably too many draws in there), Bolton kick off a tough looking November with a home game against Norwich City. We have been better of late but have picked up a worrying tendency to lose leads late in the game. Hopefully, we can pick up only a second win of the season and get off the bottom of the table ahead of the international break. Norwich are having a reasonably good season, just sitting a point off the top six under German boss Daniel Farke, and are probably enjoying life on the road more than at Carrow Road.
Vital Quotes:
“I do want to look at the performance (against Sunderland) though, and make sure we improve at the weekend. We have to make sure that when we concede a goal it does not immediately lead to another. We will give ourselves too much to do.”
Parkinson in the Bolton News.
Bolton Wanderers Team News:
Adam Le Fondre limped out of the warm-up at Sunderland with a calf problem and is a doubt. Andy Taylor may sit this game out to give him the full international break to recover from his back injury, while Filipe Morais is also a doubt. I would expect another unchanged side.
Player to watch: Antonee Robinson
Robinson might get another go at left-back, and the youngster on loan from Everton has largely played well enough to not be too worried about Taylor missing out again. He also looks like a player that could also be used further forward in future.
Norwich City Team News:
Steven Naismith, Alexander Tettey, Alex Pritchard, Jamal Lewis, Matt Jarvis and Louis Thompson are all on the injury list I found on the internet. Said list still has Josh Vela on it though.
Player to watch: James Maddison
Signed from Coventry last year, the youngster has broken into the first eleven this season, and did his reputation with the fans no harm when he scored the winner in the derby at Ipswich recently, and was this week called up to the England Under 21 squad. Playing behind the striker, he seems to like a goal on the road as well, with strikes at Middlesbrough and Reading.
Match Facts & Stats
The last time we hosted Norwich was in April 2015, Adam Le Fondre had equalised for us but Gary Hooper scored a 93rd minute winner as Norwich eventually won promotion via the playoffs.
We`ve lost our last four games against the Canaries, (in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015) with 2005`s 1-0 home victory the last time we won. Stelios scored the goal that evening.
Bolton are four games unbeaten, only two teams in the Championship have a longer current unbeaten streak.
Norwich are looking for a club record-equaling fifth away league victory in a row, but they have lost their last three in all competitions, against Derby and Wolves at home, and a cup tie at Arsenal.
Match Prediction:
Norwich are playing really well away from home. As mentioned, they`ve won their last four in the league, including at Middlesbrough and their derby game, while they gave it a right go at Arsenal in the Carabao Cup. We`ll likely see little of the ball, I think the pressure will eventually pay off foir them, and our mini-revival will come to an end. 2-1 to Norwich.
Next Fixtures:
We travel to Preston after the international break, before a midweek home game against Reading.